2010 Bentley Continental GTC Speed

It may weigh as much as a truck, but the 600-hp GTC Speed convertible is surprisingly agile. Is it too much of a good thing?

The GTC Speed is a more sporting version of the “entry level” Bentley convertible, just like the Speed models of the 1920s were higher-performance variants of cars such as the 3-liter and the 6 1/2-liter. Outwardly, it’s distinguished from a Continental GTC by striking 20-inch wheels, a trunklid lip spoiler, and a matte-finish grille. Inside, you’ll find a three-spoke sport steering wheel, a knurled-chrome and leather shift lever, drilled alloy pedals, and diamond quilting on the leather that adorns the seats, rear quarter-panels, and door pads. As you’d expect, the cabin is gorgeous, especially if the buyer chooses one of the optional engine-turned finishes. The Alcantara-lined cloth top, which folds in 25 seconds and doesn’t impinge on trunk space like a folding hardtop, is similarly chic.

Speed in More Than Just Name

As with the GT Speed coupe, most of the work to turn the GTC into a Speed model is mechanical. The 6.0-liter W-12 engine makes 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, improvements of 9 and 15 percent over the base car’s 552 hp and 479 lb-ft. The engine now features a single-chain cam drive, lighter connecting rods and pistons, an oil pump that reduces pressure (and pumping losses), and a modified block. By opening a port between the crankcase divisions, gases can move more freely between the crank webs, thus avoiding crankcase compression.

The chassis changes include stiffer rear-axle bushings, retuned steering, 20-inch wheels with specific Michelin tires, a recalibrated stability system, and a suspension that features revised spring and shock settings. The GTC Speed also has been lowered by 0.4 inch at the front and 0.6 inch at the back. The standard brakes are large enough—15.9 inches in diameter up front, 13.2 inches out back—but the optional carbon-ceramic discs are simply enormous. The front discs are 16.5 inches in diameter, with 14.0-inch rotors at the rear. The front brake calipers have no fewer than eight pistons. And they cost $16,500, if you need to ask.

Power with Control

The engine delivers its peak torque from as low as 1750 rpm, yet we felt a notable surge in thrust above 3000 rpm. The exhaust note is normally a muted growl, but there’s a pronounced (and deliberate) burble on the overrun. The transmission is superb, whether one opts to use it in automatic or manual mode, with precise, beautifully smooth shifts.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of the GTC Speed is the solidity of the convertible shell. Brian Gush, Bentley’s director of chassis, powertrain, and motorsports, says this allows the automaker to fit relatively soft springs. The ride, considering that the car rolls on 20-inch tires, is remarkably supple in the adjustable suspension’s more-comfort-oriented settings. Body control in the most sporting tuning is pretty impressive, too. The car drives smaller than it is, always a reflection of a well-developed chassis. The steering is the only dynamic flaw, being a little numb and relaying little feedback to the driver.

The GTC Speed is a fine vehicle, although one tends to be impressed by it rather than fall in love with it. It’s also a little out of tune with the times, at a base price of $237,695. Bentley sales are off about 70 percent year to date, likely because the people who were buying them in go-go times, such as Wall Street barons, don’t have the cash now. And even if they did, conspicuous consumption of this type doesn’t look too cute nowadays, when thousands of Americans are getting pink slips every week.

Editor's note: Although C/D initially included test results in the review of the Bentley Continental GTC Speed, we have decided to remove the figures because subsequent testing and reviews of past Continental variants led us to conclude that the performance numbers did not offer a fair representation of the car. We are working to procure another example, the test results of which will be posted at a later date.

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